Midbrain activation and mastery — A skeptic’s view

It is that time of the year when parents look for classes that would keep their children engaged during the summer vacation. The one doing the rounds lately has the right mix of ingredients to ensnare parents and to make them spend money to ‘activate the midbrain’ of their children. Advertisements have started to pop up in many cities wherein fantastic claims are being made. Did you know that the mid brains of your children are not functioning to its potential? Do not worry as there is a solution for this problem. An organization called as Spoorthi MBM foundation has come forward to take up this stupendous task. After achieving success in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan etc., they have come to India and then to Bengaluru and later Mangaluru. The contents of the blurb is quite long and predictably quite vague. Terms like ESP brain window, ESP photographic memory, brain enhancement training, quantum speed reading are all thrown around and all of these are for children. But adults, do not lose heart because for those between the ages of 19 to 60 there is a ESP brain window energizer workshop where they will be taught ‘energy exercises, eye ball exercises, meditation, energy generation exercises, focusing exercise. This will boost up your energy levels in your body based on oriental health theory that help promote overall circulatory wellness. We help you to release your stress.’ So claims the brochure!

Midbrain activation brochure

Though there are quite a lot of claims in the above brochure — what interested me most was the ESP brain enhancement training — contestants identify colours, numbers, shapes, letters, words without ordinary sensory input by using the right brain’s five senses. This technique has been adopted by Duke University famed J.B.Rhine whose methodology was totally suspect! In fact he was so gullible that he was taken in by a ‘wonder horse’ which was doing arithmetic by signals given by its controller! There are innumerable such errors pointed out in his biography on Wikipedia.

My first brush with this MBM was about year ago when one of the members of the audience at an interaction for children had challenged to make me a pauper by making a child read the number of a sealed currency note. That was in response to a challenge for those having supernatural powers — one of which is to read the serial number of a sealed currency note. MBM claims that children who have completed their course can see up to hundreds of kilometers. Though a year has elapsed numerous attempts on my part to achieve bankruptcy have come to a naught, as he has not obliged me so far! So, now is the time for that as MBM has set foot in Mangaluru. The arrival has been in September,2014 and from the information gathered only 15 children have been admitted to this course. But, like all good things in life MBM does not come free one has to pay a cool 25 thousand rupees for this enlightenment.

Banner advertising Midbrain activation

Since their banners all over the city promise that it is not a superstition, we would be glad to put their claims to the test of reason — in fact two of them — one on ESP brain window where “Contestants identify colours and letters without ordinary sensory input. By using the left brain 5 senses”. The second promises the same using the right brain input. So, here we are creating children who have extraordinary powers who can identify colours and letters without any sensory inputs! That is, they can do that without seeing, touching, hearing, tasting smelling them! This is precisely what I would call as a superstition. Hence, we were waiting for an opportunity to put this ability to the test of reason.

My correspondence with the advertisers did not elicit any concrete response. They said they were not interested in any awards to which I replied:

It is not an award but an open challenge to your organization to prove your claims. Your statement about blindfolded reading is false. I have seen your facebook page which is full of videos claiming children reading colours and letters peeking through gaps in the blindfold. I have also seen a photo of a girl identifying colors from behind a wall.

The only other postings on the page are about opening new branches and other ads. We shall be continuing our investigations into your claims. It is upto you to respond.

Then they invited me for a live demo at Bengaluru and as I did not have the time I told them that two of my friends would attend. In my mail to them I also said:

Making children peek through so called ‘blindfolds’ is promoting quackery. The claims of ESP, the common meaning for which is extra sensory perception is a statement made to hoodwink gullible people. I am making these strong statements based on the brochure printed by your Mangalore franchisee which I am sure is based on material provided by you. Since the claims on that have been made at Mangaluru the same should be put to the test of science here. About a year back someone from Bengaluru had made challenge to me that he would make me a pauper by making a child read the number of a sealed currency note by the techniques taught by you. I had contacted him a number of times and asked him to go ahead but it never happened so far.

However the claim by you that there are going to be no blind folded demos is indeed strange coming from a business organisation whose brochure sports such pictures and whose web site carries numerous videos and clipping from many TV channels about the same.

If my people are willing to come to your demos I will get in touch with you without any commitment on our part about the genuineness of your claims or a testimonial to you. They will be just observing things. If you want to prove your claims of children making observations about colors, letters without any sensory inputs whatsoever you will have to come forward to demonstrate them under my conditions. These claims have been on your brochure which is an offer document made to public.

I challenged the Spoorthi foundation through my article in Mangalore Today to come forward and take up this challenge by bringing forward the best of their products of the MBM workshop for proper testing. I made some queries with psychiatrists, child psychologists, educationalists and people who train specially talented children. They have not endorsed it at all. In fact, it was remarked that teaching the children to peek through the gap between the nose and eyes, and claiming it as blindfolded sight would encourage children to cheat in the future, and think that it is a normal, acceptable thing. Moreover young children might be pressured by social conformity to claim that they could ‘see’ through the blindfold. The peer pressure to follow what other children claim could be one reason for why young children act as if they could see through the blindfold.

There are two aspects which would confront us here.

One would pertain to our role as promoters of scientific temper. If people could be trained to see through blindfolds (I mean proper ones), it could create a revolution in many fields. The same could be extended to seeing through clothing, barriers, walls and the lot!

The other would be a social aspect wherein gullible parents are being exploited by shysters using their propensity to think that their kids are the exceptionally talented ones, and the same has not been recognized by the world so far!

While claims of stimulating the mid brain to bring about extraordinary mental powers have been going around from past few years, the frenzy is now reaching epidemic proportions. There are a number of such enterprises offering such courses in a number of cities in India; the mode of seeking publicity and also attracting clients is through handouts, making a number of wild claims with pseudo-scientific jargon being used freely to attract gullible parents.

A poster of Spoorthi MBM Foundation

In response to the invitation of Rajiv Ahuja of Spoorthi foundation, we had sent two activists from Bengaluru, freethinkers Dolly Koshy and Atheeb, to visit their premises on the 1st of March. They were not allowed to investigate any of the children, they were prevented from questioning them, and were not allowed to take any photographs either.

The famous blindfolded reading technique was shown to them, and when Dolly performed the same, she was accused of peeking through the gap between the nose and eyes. When she replied that the same was being done by the children, she was attacked!

The whole edifice of this so-called Mid brain development rests on their claims of being able to make children read blindfolded! They post videos of these on their Facebook pages, make claims on media about such feats, try and get their names into books of world records and such. One such link to a report in the New Indian Express can be accessed here. It claims that a girl of ten years performed feats of blindfolded reading which is a ‘world record’ of some sort, in the august presence of some VIPs, which included a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

However, this stimulation of mid brain activity is no social service. It is a totally commercial activity promising ‘high returns’ to franchisees, charging a cool 25,000 rupees for those who are gullible enough to admit their child to the course.

The activation is possible only for children between five to fifteen years of age! All their ads and blurbs feature cute kids! One can wonder why — the answer lies in attracting people and having excuses to prevent any proper investigations into the claims — in this example, when a crusty old, balding, grey haired, bearded old man is pitted against a cute ten year old who can always burst into tears when the going gets tough, there are no prizes for guessing where the sympathies of the onlookers will be!

The whole purpose of making claims with kids performing apparently amazing feats of blindfolded reading is to prevent any proper investigations into the claims. When Limca book of world records was contacted, they replied that there was no such record in their books, but they were willing to consider it. The editor also added note that she had witnessed one such blindfolded display, and had been surprised by the unique talent exhibited by the child. Like many others, she too had not bothered to check the effectiveness of the blindfold.

This Mid brain stimulating activity had been going on all over the country from quite some time. Some of our organizations in Maharashtra have already exposed the same, and have even offered awards to conduct the same under controlled conditions.

Since the Mid brain masters are a commercial undertaking keen on getting more and more customers signed up, we had already made an offer to them of Rs. 5 lakhs, if they could prove that their students can read things under fool-proof blindfolded conditions that we shall enforce. We have been told that they are not interested in awards! But, as a commercial enterprise, they must be interested in getting more customers!

So, we herein agree to sponsor two hundred students from socially and economically backward sections of the society studying in govt. schools for their program, if they can prove their claims of children seeing things blindfolded. However, the tests shall be conducted under conditions to be specified by us. This is because we want to help these children stimulate their mid brains and come up to the high standards claimed by the enterprise marketing this scheme. Since the offer document for the course states that children can ‘identify color, shape, numbers, letters without ordinary sensory inputs’ , we would like to conduct fool-proof tests for the same with material provided by us including blindfolds.

These trials will be conducted at Mangaluru in the presence of media, and the specific conditions shall be laid down by us. The date for this is tentatively fixed for the 14th of April, since it happens to be the birthday of Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution of India.

About the author

Narendra Nayak

56 Comments

Thank you for this article which exposes those taking advantage of people in need, and laud your efforts in dealing with fraud and superstitions.

As the research data shows, there is no evidence for training to develop psi abilities. According to the psi research data, it is an inherent atypical ability. There is much scientific data, conducted under double blind conditions and presented in peer reviewed journals that dispels many of the popularly held beliefs about the phenomenon.

While commenting about this area of research, may I request you to please look at the scientific data rather than denounce the entire field of study based on the spurious claims made by lay persons. This will enable you to shore up your arguments against these fraudulent practices. You will indeed be surprised as to how much the research matches your views.

The reliability of information on Wikipedia, especially in controversial areas (including climate change) has come under fire. I am sure you are aware of the controversies surrounding the information on wiki.

The story of the horse who could count is pretty old stuff and shows the gullibility of J.B.Rhine who was biased towards any show of psi. I deal with specific issues and if you know anyone who could demonstrate that under foolproof conditions would be welcome. Perhaps you could show some one who could read the number of a sealed currency note would most welcome or someone who could read something through a blindfold put by us or something on such lines which is easily verifiable rather than get into fruitless never ending discussions.

congratulation on exposure of mid brain activation!
we the team of maharashtra anhshraddha nirmoolan samiti ,try to exposed the technique behind the mid brain activity.in panvel,new mumbai, maharashtra.

U have taken a right step challenging modern superstition used to loot educated people who want their children to be SUPERSTARS. it is a hot technique to use scientific words to fool. I appreciate initiative taken by you.

We have legal directives against this kind of magical acts,claims or drugs.
I noticed,when one business trick of this kind getting saturated,the other comes.think on nipping it.hence they will shift to north or east or find one new.

Dear Sir,
Read your article. I had sent my child for this program. I have seen her perform too and she is able to do it blindfolded. The blindfold which I made to be absolutely sure about it, I used a swimming goggle which I painted and has cotton stuffed in it. Before giving it to her I had used it myself and made all attempts to peak thru but was not able to do so. Using these goggles my child was able to identify colours and also read newspaper.
If you be interested will be happy to show it to you and any of your representative.
Regards,

Do it with an eye patch which we shall put. The swimming goggles are unreliable particularly when stuffed with cotton. So, if your child can see through barriers near the eye then why not if the barrier is far away just between the eye and the object to be identified?

Would like to explore on what you are saying.
1. What is the type of eye patch you would like to try, if you can give details will try it and let you know.
2. As quoted by you “So, if your child can see through barriers near the eye then why not if the barrier is far away just between the eye and the object to be identified?”
This I feel is not really the topic of what we are discussing here cos then there can be so many things that can be said.

I also could not understand as why the swimming goggles are unreliable more particularly when painted and filled with cotton cos as said before I had used the goggles my self and am totally sure that nothing can be seen. If you can explain why the swimming goggles are unreliable I will take counter measures and remove any doubt from my mind.

Since I was using my smart phone for answering you I could not file a detailed rejoinder but now that I have come to my laptop let me reply:
If you will see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6dDfGqnZQM&feature=youtu.be which will give you an idea why swimming goggles can be made unreliable by a child who has been subjected to mid brain activation. Secondly you as a parent who has spent a good amount on training your child would find it difficult to admit that your money has gone down the drain and would like to cling to straws. This would be more applicable if you have been instrumental in making children of your friends and relatives join in and have been given incentives for that.
Again testing one’s own child would discount objectivity to great extent, particularly when one has believed in that the child has acquired some extraordinary powers. Quite a few of the parents who had come to our Kozhikode program had come with the firm conviction that their child could make mince meat out of us because their reason had been clouded by other considerations.
You have stated that you object to my statement that when a child can see through an opaque screen held near the eyes should be able to do so when the same is held at a distance between the two. Let us have your reasons why it should not be so if you have any.
Any way extraordinary claims like being able to ‘see’ blind folded need extraordinary evidence. But, we will be satisfied with just ordinary evidence. If you are willing to take up our open offer about Midbrain activation you are welcome to do so. We could conduct tests under the most objective, fool proof conditions. Just look up those in the write up here and go ahead. I have not said fraud proof here on purpose since I have a feeling that you are a misled parent and not a perpetrator of this scam.

Children are pretty gullible and they believe that they have ESP or whatever since that is what they are taught. We need to get these people away from our children because not only do they cheat the parents for a good sum of money, they also make an unconscious effort to extinguish the flame of curiosity and the candlelight of skepticism.

If your child cannot perform, Mr. Anand, what you are doing is an injustice to the child, keeping her in a fantasy world people pushed her into for monetary gains and reassuring she will join the ignorant masses.

Blindfolded sight is a trick. If you claim only blindfolded sight, it means there is no real paranormal stuff but a magic trick. If seeing without sight is possible (i.e., recognizing colours and reading) and your child has such an ability, she must be able to recognize and read things kept under wraps. If not, it is pretty clear what your trick is.

I hope you take the challenge and win it. That way, Prof. Nayak would get a Nobel Prize for first observing ESP under test conditions.

I tried with swimming googles but for effectiveness the positioning of the googles is very critical and aslo the tension of the elastic. These two cannot be easy to control in public testing environment. So best solution is eyepaches.

Dear sir, Being a medical doctor myself had always this rational approach towards the things so to defy this mid brain activation process got my teenager daughter enrolled for the course(making her genius was not the inciting factor) n 4 of her cousins accompanied her(sheer curiosity n a crunch on parents pocket) .the activation session didn’t bring any change but to our astonishment by 2nd week all of them are identifying colours n pictures blindfolded.(checked many times with multiple eye covers. How can u explain this phenomenon.m also confused n puzzled.Is this a hoax or an illusion which m experiencing with my kids.

Dear Dr.Divya,
What measures have you taken to see that non visual clues have not been used to identify these colors/pictures? What is the type of eye cover that was used? Have you tried 3M opticlude patches? These stick tightly around the orbital socket to preclude any peeking.
Again what were the props used? Were they the same each time which they have already identified by seeing without the blind fold? If the identification is done by non visual clues it does not mean that they can see blind folded.
Where are you located? I do not know what your qualifications are but one thing I can be sure of is our UG courses do not teach any proper methodology for research. Again, it would be difficult for you to test your own children very objectively. So, I would suggest you bring them over to us for testing properly.
Remember, just identifying pictures/cards or something else does not mean anything except a process of heightening of some senses or cheating(which you may find very difficult to accept). We would be interested in visual processes without the light falling on the retina, which is true ‘blid folded’ seeing.

it could possible for many children . its not a magic but there are many scientific causes related it and many other enviromental factors also caused make this possible doing blindfoldly , also for adults too.

I think a lot of postings here are made by the Midbrain activation gang under various pseudonyms and fake ids. They make all sorts of statements but never respond when asked to do a proper trial. There are quite a few examples here.

I want to prove that you are correct. I have my friend’s student in the summer camp which is for 6 to 15 years children. Today my friend sent me a video of him doing blind folded color and card recognition. Can you please send me the details on how to prove that the kid is seeing through gap and how can I help in eliminating these kind of institutions which are playing with children’s future.

suresh
Before you attempt to test kids try wearing the blidfold on yourself and learn to read through the gap. Once you know how to do this you will be in a better position to test them. Swimming googles over the blind fold, orthopedic eyepatch etc can be used but not fool proof. Or you can make a bag to cover the head completely and test. Call me on 9496927941 if any help needed
Subin

I am sorry to say that the eye patch is not as good as I thought it to be. If some one can see through it(and it can be done by various methods) we must proceed to the next that is putting a hood over the blind fold.

I recently got to know about mid-brain activation activities happening around me and in my family. I always opposed it and never believed them. I then saw my own nephew doing this. I know these people and it’s really hard not to believe them. But I still don’t believe that it can happen. I have offered them to take a test myself. My friend suggested to write a note on a paper and ask the kid to read it without seeing in a pitch dark room. It should eliminate the loose blind folds. When asked them to take a test in pitch dark room, they said it requires a different training. So I am actually waiting for his “dark room” training to finish and to test this myself. Till then I really want to fashion the perfect blindfold myself and use that on him. Please suggest me a blindfold that is easy to fashion from household items or with the items that are easily available, also it should be clearly visible in the video that there is no chance that the kid is peeking.

Some of the things which are coming to my mind is. Mask with no holes(i will go extra mile to check if the mask has no small holes), or just asking the kid to keep his eyes shut and focusing my camera on his eyes so that we can see clearly that he is not peeking.

Please share your opinions on the matter, how shall I proceed with the test.

If you will give me your email id I will send you Martin Gardners 1966 paper about this issue which despite of ite being four decades old still is one of the most authoritative review on bind fold reading or reading by touch. my id is narenyen@gmail.com

Brother don’t be impatient, I was working to prove all this “Midbrain activation wrong”. I understand your concern but there are lot of things I am busy with.

So back to the topic, I met my nephew to prove what’s wrong and what’s right, I didn’t need any blindfolding techniques. When I asked him to read the letters I bought by merely closing his eyes he refused, I tried a lot to convince him but he refused simply. I asked his brother too, that is he telling the truth his brother said “I think he is saying a lie”. So I am basically hurt because it was not expected from a close family member.

The thing I realised that, kids under peer pressure don’t tell that they can see the images and “things” from the blindfold. They think if they tell anybody it will be humiliating. The people who designed this scam used the vulnerability of the childeren to scam people. It’s really sad.

I am totally with you for any further attempt to stop this fast growing scam.

As I have been suspecting the Midbrain activation thugs are putting up comments here under pseudonyms. Once their comments are replied to and they are asked to report back after following our suggestions we dont hear anything from them! I think that proves our point- for example there was a ‘medical doctor’ here going by the name of Divya who had a lot to say but did not revert to us after we made specific suggestions. There are quite a few others too who sounded sincere but have not got back to us after being given proper advice.

The act is’Drugs and Magic Remedies
(Objectionable Advertisement Act),1954.
‘A talisman,mantra,kavacha &any other charm of any kind which is alleged to possess miraculous powers
for or in diagnosis,cure,mitigate,…..or for affecting in any way the structure or any organic function of the body of human being.

Being a father of a 6 & 10 yrs old boys, The whole mid brain activation seems very appealing prima facie. There are atleast 25 centres in Kolkata which are into this business. When I contacted a few centres in Kolkata, they all claimed that no one can ever prove that the kids can peek through the blindfold. They say you can blindfold their children in any way you want. They say that there is a lot of scientific training which goes into it.

As a rational person, I do not want to believe it, but as a father I want to enroll my child. What if he actually improves his concentration power, but what if my child is lured or hipnotised or just taught to cheat?

Hello Sir!!
I have read your articles about midbrain activation and i found them very nice.Sir i got a question in my mind.I’m agree with all of your statements that a child can trick by watching through gaps between eyes and nose.That’s a good point to note !!But sir what about other types of brain activities or exercise in workshop .There may be some intelligent children who can make the tricks to prove their mid brain activation part.But sir Only BLINDFOLD reading doesn’t mean that child is now genius.So Personally I Think Doing some good brain exercise is good rather than sitting and watching TV.Are You agree SIR??At-least there will be some benefits of doing so i.e Dancing,Listening to Music,Sleeping…I want your personal view on this.
Thanks!!
Himanshu

Whether there are any such benefits should be investigated and published in peer reviewed reputed journals. We cannot take claims without any evidence. So far all that I have seen about so called midbrain activation is the stunt of so called blindfold reading and the tall claims associated with it. If anything else can be claimed there should be independent studies to prove it.
I am strongly opposing this because of the statements and ads about ESP.

Hello Sir,
First of all thanks for reply.There is really a Good word you mentioned here is “evidence”.I remember other activities children can do like twiddling hands/thumbs in opposite directions ,Start reading Books more eagerly,Doing some sports activities,stop binge-watching of TV and some other activities like DANCING,Laughing,Just because of MID BRAIN ACTIVATION workshops because they want to do something new that they had never done in school or home…I think sir these parts doesn’t need any evidence as far as concerned..I’m Complete agree that there should be some scientific evidence for blindfold reading…What’s Your view about this SIR??
Thanks
Himanshu

I would not bother about those things which are too subjective as far as I am concerned. You may think of that as ‘evidence’.
When the whole thing is based on the show off stunt of blind folded seeing I would look at it than things like twiddling thumbs or not watching tv and the supposed other ‘benefits’ of midbrain activation- something which doesn’t make any sense as any one who is alive has to have the midbrain working- the midbrain as defined in anatomy and medical terminology.

if i can bring down my great great grandpa now, he will die again instantly seeing the now-world. the world has changed a lot. once, no one believed that there would be aeroplanes, spaceships, mobile phones, lie detectors…etc etc…humans brain is unimaginable. i trust in mid brain activation. may be this is the first step of an evolution. if an ape has transformed into a human it is surely possible that a child can see blind folded. it’s a no-surprise thing. science is a magic only to a pessimist or an illiterate.

It took 5-7 million years for an ape ancestor to evolve into a human. It wasn’t in 2 days. That’s the time scale of evolution. The only thing that will happen in 2 days with this scam is that you will be 25,000 rupees poorer.

humans brain is unimaginable.

Is your logic that because human brain is complex, you should be gullible and believe whatever any Tom, Dick and Harry says? Because the human brain is complex and because there is no scientific evidence that any so-called brain training works, is all the more reason to not listen to clowns who have undergone 3-day training before calling themselves experts.

Hi all..
I’m Lynn and I’m from Malaysia. I’m already in this MidBrain Activation business since year 2010 till now.

MidBrain Activation is not for magician. Look at the positive impact that it could bring to enhance children neuron, to become ACTIVE AND READY.

Neuron as we all knows is communicating to each other to enhance its capability in learning process from year to year of education..

I have seen much positive impact to children with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia that can be cured after their Mid Brain activated.

Even, those with ceberal palsy can move their fingers and control their saliva. In helping our children, there are many ways. As for me, I have been in this business for many years and received positive result in children education, from fail to pass and even got A’s for all subjects! Please just look at positive impact.

Yes, advertisement read by viewers or ready is maybe too often to get business partner instead look for parents who wanted to sent their children for mid brain activation. And I do agree that some business owner frequently advertised and open business opportunity to who ever want to learn the technique and start doing the same in helping our children to enhance their potential in learning.

The concept is easy.
Blindfolded test or reading or do colouring activities is meant to ensure that children can use their brainwave and inner light that come from neuron activity (such as electricity with lower volt, that derived from the movement of neuron of the brain) to see all the colour through the gaps of the blindfold. It surely can be done because our brain send out brainwave.

Why is that when we felt in love, others who have same wave also could feel the same? It is send out through love affection.

God give us more that we should know and learn and respect and be thankful!

Some of the blind people who understand and believe the ability of sub-concious mind can really see using their brainwaves. All you need is put your trust!.

Help your community so that people like us can also help you. In God will.

It does not matter to us where you are from whether Malaysia or Timbuctoo, But, go to any text book of anatomy to see what midbrain is before talking of activating it.
By the way what do you mean by blind fold reading peeking through the gap between the blind fold and the cheek or seeing through an opaque screen? If your midbrain activated children can see through opaque surfaces how about seeing something in a sealed box?
as for your statement:
“Some of the blind people who understand and believe the ability of sub-concious mind can really see using their brainwaves. All you need is put your trust!” go ahead and do that and you will be a candidate for the Nobel prize. As for seeing through waves emitted by the brain, these waves are unidirectional or multi? If so why cant they see in the dark?
Kindly let us have some references of any publications in any indexed peer reviewed journals about the efficacy of ‘midbrain activation’ in the treatment of cerebral palsy over and above the conventional methods.
Thank you for asking me to put my trust. Before I do that I would like to know your academic qualifications in the field of medicine since you claim to provide ‘treatment’. As for god business I am an atheist so no need to bring any such entity into the picture. Even if one such does exist I do not know why he/she/it did not ‘activate the midbrain’ at birth for all but gives an opportunity to quacks like you to exploit the gullible.

Have you read something about Dr. Jacobo Grimberg, Ing. Mark Komissarov, Dr. Enrico Pierangeli por Prof. Ello Conte? The last ones hace already made proofs un laboratory and it is true. This phenomenom could happend. I also believe there is people who pretend to lay to gain money but, its real.